Fastening device



NOV. 15541949 v F, ZAHODIAKIN 2,487,916

FSTEN ING DEVICE Filed March 30, 1945 l1-Wi.

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A TTOH/VEY Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED asrnfres PATE-NT ortica v2-,487,916 :FASTENIN'G -DEVICE VictorvF. ZahodialrinfShontHlills, N. J. Application March so, 1945,*sefia1 No. 585,664

'type providing 'a rotating stud and wherein Av1the stud iis separable -from the socket. Specicallm the instant invention "is an 'improvement upon my prior Patent '2262;418 :of Nov. 11, "19411. Y

fMany-instances'occur where it is necessary to secure a 'plurality of relatively thin members atwise together withabsolute security but at the same *time `fulfl'l'the requirement o'f Aquick release `when desired. l'or instance, asurface section of an airplane may -vbe `.made removable for `access te 'an interior c'onlpartinent `while the plane .is-fon the -g-round, but incapable of finadvertent opening Iat Yother times. -In providing a fastening -device -for sucha use, `there must be introduced .a .minimum of b'ulkwand weight, the exterior .of the member must be unobstructed and internal obstruction should not .only .be 4a minimum, but 4of sucha character that shifting cargo, .meddlesome hands or other .controlled .or uncontrolled forces 'from within may not -.possibly operate to release 'the fastening means. Vibration been onepreval'enlt cause of inadvertent release of .prior art fastening devices .in the use thereof mentioned, coupled .with inherent defects of the prior art devices .and vimproper manipulation of those devicesby which theyhave not been properly locked. This last-mentioned contingency has been partly because the .operator cannot see :the interlocked parts 'and v.partly due to over-ambitious `effort applied in the locking operation 'resulting in over-s'lfloo'ting the locked position of 'theparts of the .prior art has been due to the bending moment .or -distorting stresses applied .to the members being v'secured tending to distort .the members and to pry the socket .portion of fthe device .from its .appointed place.

.Iniits mest general-aspects, therefore, the present inventionseeks to overcome .the defects and deficiencies of the `prior art'construction of :fastening-devices of :the character indicated.

:Also -broadly fstated, an lobject v.of the Ainvention is to improve 1 upon lthe :prior :art fastening de- .vices both as to structure "andfiunction,

More specifically, 'an object 'of `thefinventien Yis to provide a fastening fdevice :of 'fthe rrot'atable stud. type, wherein sition is substantially prevented and `in t'any event results .in 'no harm.

Another and highly important febject fof fthe invention is to apply Tthe :pressure fof the :resilient :member as a :compressive :.force, :not a A "further detriment p overshooting the lockcdpc- (Cites-221) Y "tersional force, 'against Vthe members @being 'clalnled. Y

fYetanother objectof the'invention 'fisto prol-videa structure'which willibeicompaic't and which imin'imum *.pro'trusi'on `beyond fthe sAnflernbers 'being "secured, and which 'overlies a -are'alof such members. y A further object of the inventi'nfsfto@provide an improved vliastr-:n'ing device having readily Tmami-factured 'and assembled parts, af dev-ice f 'nich will be sturdy, readily 'aprliedfand `fines;- ipensive, and a 'device foffew and simple'-parts.`

Still 'further objects -o'f"th'e "invention will apvpear 5to those skilled in 'the `art'to wl'i'h 'ap'f pertains, "bothby direct recitation thereof and by -implication from zthe context. Y Referring l'to vthe accompanyingV drawing iwhich 'like numerals fof reference 'indicate sin'ii- -l'ar 'parts throughout the several views; '-20 "Figure 1 is a'pla-n of my improved fastening device, looking at the same Lat what may Ebe 5ternied lthe backside since :it is'the side laway ffromthe operator whenlockng or unlocking fthe fdevice; A v y Fig-ure 2 is an edge elevation fo'f the Tfa'st'ening device; and

Figure i 3 a longitudinal sectional viewo'n -line a-leoflig. '1, boththeelevation oFigjZ andthe section o'f Fig."3 being views looking 'in 'the :directionof the arrows on line '2ii3 of 1. 'Tnthe `specii'lc embodiment of "the invention illustrate'd'in said drawing, the reference 'numerals 150, TI designate juxtaposed merrbers adapted to be clamped together in an overlapped flatwise position. 'For convenience in making distinguish-1 ing lreference l ferred to asinner-member TD and 'outer member 'IL iAt-the part of said members wherethefas.- tering device 'is to be applied, both members are appropriately punched orctherwise providedwth preferably round holes 12,13 respectively which are rarranged to register axially. "Thehole I2 in the inner member is larger than the hele '-'I'3 in the fouter member and the outer member is inwardly offset, as at Vl 4, an amount preferably equal to the 'thickness of the'inner member and of diam'etric size substantially equal vto the hole of the inner meniber so as to seat vtherein and obtain nested location thereof in the hole "t2 and axial registration of `the holes.

At the inside face of the inner member and overlying yor spanning the hole l2 thereo'f, is a housing lI5, thje major portion whereof is 'a 'iiat pleite at -themiddlecf TE 'The essen thereto, the 'members will be re;-r

which is a'hleorop'ening 'ial 4requirement ci this opening Y V,offset I4, is a head 2810i a 3 I6 is that it shall freely pass the stud but provide a ledge I1 next the opening to support a spiral spring I8. The diameter of the said opening, therefore, is slightly greater than the hole I3 in outer member II, but considerably smaller than hole I2 in inner member IIB. Said opening I6 while generally circular as above indicated, provides diametrically opposed slot portions in the longitudinal direction of the plate portion of the housing, and at the ends of said slot portions the metal of the plate is drawn outwardly to form undercut pockets I9, the open sides of which faceY toward each other for purposes hereinafter explained. Said pockets, as an essential part thereof, have transverse or upper wall portions 2D offset from the plane of the housing and functioning both as guides and stops, as likewise will presently appear. The plate portion of housing I5 is shown approximately of diamond shape and the slot portions of the opening I6 and the pockets I 9 are vpreferably on the long axis of the diamond. Beyond the pockets, also shown on the long axis of Vthe diamond shape, the plate is appropriately perforated to receive rivets 2I or the like by which the housing is permanently attached to the inner member I0 with the axis of hole I2 therein coinciding with the axis of the circular part of opening I6 of the housing.

At the remote end of spiral spring I8 from the plate-engaging end, is an inverted cup 22 as one .example of a retainer for the spring and engaging means for the stud. The skirt portion of the cup .depends at the end of the spring to prevent sideslip of the spring from the retainer but said skirt -is adequately spaced from the housing pockets so as to be depressed without interference therefrom. However, from said skirt portion of the retainer .two diametrically opposite legs 23 depend past and in sliding engagement with the aforementioned transverse or upper wall portions 2B of the pockets, said legs having outwardly bent lugs or feet 24 at their lower ends, which project into the pockets and will limit outward movement of the retainer and expansion of the spring. By virtue of the projection of the said feet or lugs 24 in the pockets, the retainer is likewise prevented from rotation but is permitted to slide or move axially within the range established by the oiset distance of the pocket wall 20. The spring is preferably under a degree of compression when expanded to the limit permitted by the pockets, and of course V.is under greater compressive strain when the retainer is depressed below the said limiting position.

The transverse portion of the retainer from which the skirt depends, has a blade-receiving slot V25 therein, and at 90 rotative displacement has hollows or depressions 26 for receiving and retaining stud shoulders subsequently identified herein. Diametrically opposite stops or projections 21 are provided in one rotative direction between said Vslot and depressions, utility whereof will presently appear.

It may be here pointed out that the housing I5, spring I8 and retainer 22 are assembled as a unit; constituting what may be generically termed the socket member. The structure of this socket member is very compact and neither requires much area on nor unseemly projection from the member I 0 on which ultimately applied for use.

Within and substantially lling the depression -iormedin outer member II due to the circular stud 29. The outer -race of said head 28 is preferably in the plane of the outer face of the member II. Behind and coaxial with the head, the stud provides a shank which passes through the hole I3 of member II, the metal of the shank being burred or upset or otherwise rendered of sufficiently greater diameter than the said hole to retain the stud rotatively mounted in said member. Accordingly, when the members are assembled in position to be clamped, the stud will project through the inner member and through the socket member. In such assembled position, the stud extends coaxially through the spring, and is provided at its inner end with a blade 3B of appropriate dimensions to enter and project from the slot 25 of the retainer. Preferably, said blade is formed as a steep helix whereby, after initial insertion in the slot, continued rotation will have screw action on the retainer and depress said retainer against the spring tension. Below the end of the blade, the same is undercut to provide transverse shouldersV 3| at a common planar distance from the head, and ultimately these shoulders ride out of the retainer slot and over the iiat land portion of the retainer intervening, in rotative direction, ybetween the said slot and said depressions 26 above referred to. The retainer then may snap outwardly seating the shoulders in the depressions. Further rotation of the stud in the forwardly direction is then positively prevented by presence of the aforementioned stops 21. This prevents overshooting the locked position.

Attention is called to the fact that the compressive force of the spring reacts at the inner end through the retainer with a moment of force longitudinal of the stud and against the shoulders provided upon the stud. The moment of force exerted in the opposite direction is against the ledge I 'I of the housing which in turn is then lengaging against the offset portion I4 of the outer member I I under which is positioned the head of the stud. Housing I5 consequently is under no strain from the spring pressure and therefore introduces no disruptive force upon the rivets mounting it in place. This construction thus addsgreatly to the security and permanence of the fastening device.

I claim:

V1. A fastening device for juxtaposed members Vcomprising a socket structure constructed and arranged to receive and releasably interlock with a rotatable stud; said socket structure comprising a housing, spring and retainer; said housing comprising a basal portion having an opening for projection of said stud therethrough, and having pockets directed toward and terminating next said opening, said pockets being formed by walls integral at the sides of each with and bulging from the basal portion of said housing, and said housing having a ledge next said opening for receiving an end of said spring thereon; said spring comprising a longitudinal coil substantially coaxial to said opening and having one end seated on said ledge; and said retainer comprising a transverse wall seating on the end of the spring opposite said ledge, and said retainer having legs extending longitudinally of and at the outside of said spring toward said housing and in part between said spring and the inwardly directed ends yof said bulging pocket forming walls, whereby saidspring prevents said legs from bending inwardly and said inwardly directed pocket forming wall ends prevent said legs from bending outwardly, and feet on the ends of said legs projecting away from the spring and into said pockets.

2. A fastening device for juxtaposed members comprising a socket structure constructed and arranged to receive and releasably interlock with a rotatable stud having a steep helical blade; said socket structure comprising a housing, spring and retainer; said housing comprising a flat basal portion having an opening for projection of said stud therethrough, and having diametrically opposite pockets directed toward and terminating next said opening, said pockets being formed by walls integral at three sides of each with and bulging from the flat basal portion of said housing, and said housing having a ledge next said opening for receiving an end of said spring thereon; said spring comprising a longitudinal coil substantially coaxial to said opening and having one end seated on said ledge; and said retainer comprising an inverted cup with its transverse wall having a stud-receiving slot therein and said transverse wall seating on the end of the spring opposite said ledge, and said retainer having legs extending longitudinally of and at the housing and in part between said spring and the inwardly directed ends of said bulging pocket forming walls, whereby said spring prevents said legs from bending inwardly and said inwardly directed pocket forming Wall ends prevent said legs from bending outwardly, and feet on the ends of said legs projecting diametrically away from the ,Hspring and into said pockets.

VICTOR F. ZAHODIAKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the i'lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

